Pete Murray (18/03/2013)
In light of his latest album Blue Sky Blue – The Byron Sessions we spoke to iconic Australian singer/song writer Pete Murray about the new record, touring and more.
The electronic version was recorded on the coasts of Byron Bay in a studio that’s seen some Australian greats. Pete named “The Oils” and “Cold Chisel”, but that’s just a few of the many names that have come to home of the Blues and Roots festival to gain inspiration from its unique vibe and lifestyle.
A lifestyle which suited Pete perfectly.“Recording in Byron was great; in the morning we'd get up and go for surf then go to the studio afterwards and record into the night. Then get up in the morning the next day again, so it was pretty laid back vibe everyone was really chilled out. It was probably the most fun I've had recording an album”
After recording in many different places around the world, I asked him how important location in the final product of an album.“It’s very important, yeah. How you are feeling really comes across in the album, so if you aren't feeling right it's not gonna come across the way that you want it. So, Blue Sky Blue the Byron sessions is a re-record of the original album. The original was actually recorded in L.A and I think the sound on that album really reflected where it was recorded. So this version of it is much more relaxed and it's sort of more about that relaxed surfing vibe I'd say”
Pete told me how the idea to collaborate with other prominent Australian artists such as Bernard Fanning, The Living End and Katie Noonan came about. “I was talking to my management about it 18 months ago; what I'd do for this next solo tour. We thought if I worked with other artists it might make that more interesting and it's something I've never done. We just started calling people like Bernard and Ash uh, Katie Noonan. Lucky everyone was up for it and loved the idea. I didn’t wanna do a greatest hits album. I thought it would be a cool idea to do an electric version of Blue Sky Blue to give it a different feel and flavour with other artists involved. I don't think anyone’s ever done that before, so I think it was a cool thing to do
Pete Murrays Australian-wide tour kicked off on the 14th of February and is the first time Pete has toured Australia almost solo. "This is my first ever solo tour in Australia without a band, but I'm bringing a guy along called Nathan K and he does a bit of beat boxing. So he's gonna play before me, but he's gonna also jump on stage and play a bit with me as well. I will play the harmonica and my guitar tech is also my bass player so he will jump up and play a bit as well. So it's gonna be a three piece sort of acoustic vibe as well".
Despite doing a duet with popular American singer/songwriter John Mayer, Pete’s music has not yeat taken off in America. But an American tour is on the cards after he finishes in Australia.
“The problem with America is that I haven't actually had a release over there and I don't think they have access to the YouTube over here or whatever. But playing with someone like him definitely helps, no doubt about that” He added later: “We are planning an American tour, but nothing is set in stone yet”
I finished the interview by asking him what he thinks about people playing one of his most renowned songs So Beautiful at weddings. “The song was written about pretentious people, it's quite funny actually I get people coming up and saying "Yeah we are playing So Beautiful at our wedding" and I go "really? You do know what it's about" and they go "Yeah yeah, it's such a beautiful love song". It's a nice song, it's sung quite beautifully but yeah… I don't know whether I'd be playing it at my wedding basically”
Ryan Hyde
The electronic version was recorded on the coasts of Byron Bay in a studio that’s seen some Australian greats. Pete named “The Oils” and “Cold Chisel”, but that’s just a few of the many names that have come to home of the Blues and Roots festival to gain inspiration from its unique vibe and lifestyle.
A lifestyle which suited Pete perfectly.“Recording in Byron was great; in the morning we'd get up and go for surf then go to the studio afterwards and record into the night. Then get up in the morning the next day again, so it was pretty laid back vibe everyone was really chilled out. It was probably the most fun I've had recording an album”
After recording in many different places around the world, I asked him how important location in the final product of an album.“It’s very important, yeah. How you are feeling really comes across in the album, so if you aren't feeling right it's not gonna come across the way that you want it. So, Blue Sky Blue the Byron sessions is a re-record of the original album. The original was actually recorded in L.A and I think the sound on that album really reflected where it was recorded. So this version of it is much more relaxed and it's sort of more about that relaxed surfing vibe I'd say”
Pete told me how the idea to collaborate with other prominent Australian artists such as Bernard Fanning, The Living End and Katie Noonan came about. “I was talking to my management about it 18 months ago; what I'd do for this next solo tour. We thought if I worked with other artists it might make that more interesting and it's something I've never done. We just started calling people like Bernard and Ash uh, Katie Noonan. Lucky everyone was up for it and loved the idea. I didn’t wanna do a greatest hits album. I thought it would be a cool idea to do an electric version of Blue Sky Blue to give it a different feel and flavour with other artists involved. I don't think anyone’s ever done that before, so I think it was a cool thing to do
Pete Murrays Australian-wide tour kicked off on the 14th of February and is the first time Pete has toured Australia almost solo. "This is my first ever solo tour in Australia without a band, but I'm bringing a guy along called Nathan K and he does a bit of beat boxing. So he's gonna play before me, but he's gonna also jump on stage and play a bit with me as well. I will play the harmonica and my guitar tech is also my bass player so he will jump up and play a bit as well. So it's gonna be a three piece sort of acoustic vibe as well".
Despite doing a duet with popular American singer/songwriter John Mayer, Pete’s music has not yeat taken off in America. But an American tour is on the cards after he finishes in Australia.
“The problem with America is that I haven't actually had a release over there and I don't think they have access to the YouTube over here or whatever. But playing with someone like him definitely helps, no doubt about that” He added later: “We are planning an American tour, but nothing is set in stone yet”
I finished the interview by asking him what he thinks about people playing one of his most renowned songs So Beautiful at weddings. “The song was written about pretentious people, it's quite funny actually I get people coming up and saying "Yeah we are playing So Beautiful at our wedding" and I go "really? You do know what it's about" and they go "Yeah yeah, it's such a beautiful love song". It's a nice song, it's sung quite beautifully but yeah… I don't know whether I'd be playing it at my wedding basically”
Ryan Hyde